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The Toronto Connection

TORONTO, ON -- The Calgary Flames have several ties to the Toronto Maple Leafs and a multitude of players will have a bundle of friends and family cheering them on at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday night.

Here's a run-down of how former Leafs and Toronto-area players have done against the Leafs in the past:

NIKLAS HAGMAN

Left winger

The crafty winger was part of the blockbuster trade that sent defenceman Dion Phaneuf to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Hagman, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and Ian White. To date, he's played 101 games with the Flames and has recorded 17 goals and 40 points in that span. He spent a year and half in Toronto, dressing in 120 contests, and provided the Leafs with 42 goals and 75 points. Since joining the Flames, Hagman has played against the Leafs twice. He picked up four points in those two outings, scoring one goal and three assists.

Coming over in the trade with Hagman, Stajan has donned a Flames jersey 106 since times since the deal. While last year can't be described as anything but difficult for the pivot, he trained hard over the off-season in order to boost his offensive game this campaign. He picked up his first point of the 2011-12 season on Thursday against the Habs and has had greatest success against the Leafs since they traded him. In two games verus Toronto, he's picked up two points in addition to a plethora of scoring opportunities. He signed a four-year extension with the Flames on Mar. 1, 2010.

The Flames blueliner hails from Toronto and has played six games against the Leafs in his five-year career in Calgary. He's picked two goals and five points in those contests. As with every game in Toronto, Giordano will have a lot of friends and family cheering for him on Saturday night. "It's exciting, it's always a fun time for me," Giordano said on Friday. "I get to see my family this trip. We have a few days here so it's cool. It's a great rink to play in, a great atmosphere, so I really enjoy it." The 28 year-old recently was named an assistant captain for the Flames.

A Mississauga native, Kostopoulos will also have plenty of family and friends at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday night. The winger is used to playing on rival teams as he spent two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. The bulk of Kostopoulos' career has been played in the Eastern Conference so he's faced the Leafs on more than a few occassions. In 24 contests, he's notched two goals and five points. The scrappy forward has 36 penalty minutes to his name in games against Toronto. Kostopoulos was acquired by the Flames on Nov. 17, 2010 when they dealt Ian White and Brett Sutter to Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the winger and Anton Babchuk.

The newest Flame played 123 games with the Leafs in between the 2008-09 & 2009-10 seasons. During his tenure in Toronto, he scored 25 goals and 61 points. Stempniak has only played three games against the Leafs and has been held pointless against them. Thus far, he's suited up for three games with the Flames and has one assist. Since the regular season opened, he's been playing on a line with Olli Jokinen and Curtis Glencross.